Islamabad, March 26 – More than 669,000 people in Pakistan are affected by tuberculosis, which causes 51,000 deaths annually, according to local media outlets, citing the latest statistics released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on World Tuberculosis Day. Pakistan accounts for 73% of the TB burden within the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and is the fifth most affected country in the world. Each day, more than 1,800 new cases are reported in Pakistan, and 140 people die from tuberculosis, according to Dawn, Pakistan's leading daily.
The report notes that the Pakistani government and WHO have urged all partners to invest in ending TB. Pakistani Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal expressed the government's commitment to ending TB through coordinated, multi-sectoral actions, sustainable domestic financing, and a patient-centered approach with the participation of communities and all stakeholders.
"In Pakistan, one person dies from tuberculosis every 10 minutes. These deaths are preventable because tuberculosis is curable. Ending tuberculosis is not just aspirational; it is achievable. The WHO will stand with Pakistan and its partners to continue to intensify early detection and treatment for all, regardless of where they live or who they are," said Luo Dapeng, the WHO representative in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed grave concern over the worsening state of TB control in the country. It claimed that despite the global theme 'Yes! We Can End TB,' the reality on the ground in Pakistan reveals systemic neglect, severe underfunding, and a shortage of life-saving medicines.
"Pakistan continues to hold the unenviable position of being the fifth highest TB-burden country globally, with nearly 686,000 new cases and 49,000 deaths recorded annually. Yet, the government's commitment to the health sector remains disappointingly low on the list of national priorities," Dawn quoted PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro as saying.
He said, "It is a mockery of our healthcare system that while we talk of 'ending the epidemic,' standard TB medicines are frequently unavailable for adults, and the shortage of pediatric formulations is even more acute. We are failing our children. You cannot fight a bacterial war without ammunition."
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and most often affects the lungs. TB is spread through the air when a person with lung TB coughs, sneezes, or spits, according to WHO. An individual needs to inhale only a few germs to become infected.